Revolving-door structure.



No. 7|l,803. I Patehtedflcl". 21,1902;

- VAN KANNEL.

REVOLVING DOOR STRUCTURE.

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No. 7|I,ao3. Patentd Oct. 2|, m2.

T. VAN- KANNEL.

' REVOLVING DOOR STRUCTURE.-

A ucaeion filed. Mar. 23, 1900.;

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(No Model.)

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' Patented Oct; 21,1902.

T. VAN KANNEL. REVOLVING DOOR STRUCTURE.

(Application filed Mar. 23, 1900.\

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Patented Dot. 2|, I902. T. VAN KANNEL.

REVOLVING 000R STRUCTURE.

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1900.)

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No. .7ll,803. atgnted Oct. 2|, I902.

T.- VAN KA'NNEL.

REVOLVING DOOR STRUCTURE.

(Application filed Mar. 23, 1900 (No Model.) 9 Sh6Bi8S-haat s.

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Patented Oct. 2|, I902.

No. 7H,803.

.1. VAN KANNEL. REVOLVING DOOR STRUCTURE.

A lication filed Mar. 23, 1900.

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(No Modl.)

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No. 7ll,803. Patented Oct. 2|, I902.

v T. VAN K'ANNEL.

REVOLVING DUOB STRUCTURE.

(Application filed Mar. 23, 1900.) (N0 Model.) j sheets sheet 7.

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T. VAN KANNEL.

REVOLVING DOOR STRUCTURE. v

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(Application e (No Model.) 9 SheetsSheet 8.

- No; 7ll,803. v Patented Oct 2|, I902. T. VAN KANNEL.

REVOLVING DOOR STRUCTURE.

(Application filed Mar. 23, 190011 9 Sheets-Sheet 9.

(K0 Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TI-IEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE VAN KANNELREVOLVING DOOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND CHARLESTON, WESTVIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

REVOLVING-DOOR STRUCTURE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,803, dated October21, 1902.

Application filed March 23. 1900. Serial No. 9,949. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEOPHILUS VAN KAN- NEL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York city, State of New York, haveinvented certain Improvements in Revolving-Door Structures, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention consists of certain improvements in revolving-doorstructures of the general character set forth in a number of previouspatents which I have obtained, such structures comprising a central posthaving radiating wings and mounted so as to rotate on a vertical axis,this portion being termed IS the door, and partial side inclosures forsuch door, usually of segmental form and combined with a ceiling, thisportion of the structure being termed the casing.

The objects of my present improvements '20 are to render the centralportion of the door available for use as a show-case,to prevent injuryto persons who may be caught between either of the wings of the door andthe casing, to provide for the use of the structure with a vibratingdoor instead of a rotating door, to permit of the ready locking of thewings of the door, so as to prevent unauthorized passage of personsthrough the door in either direction, to permit of the ready flexing ofc the wings of the door, so as to provide an unobstructed passagethrough the casing of the doorway on both sides of the central structureof the door in case of panic or at other times when such unobstructedpassage is desired, and to direct persons to the right side of the doorwithout interfering with the proper movement of the latter or the properpassage of persons through the doorway. These objects I attain in themanner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a view, partly in side elevation andpartly in section, of a rotating-door structure in accordance with myinvention. Fig.

2 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a vertical sectional view of the central structure of the door. Fig.4 is a sectional plan view, on an enlarged scale, of part of saidcentral structure and ing for the central shaft of the door.

one of the projecting wings with the spring connections, whereby saidwing is normally held in the projected position, but is permitted toswing backward, this view also showing parts of the spring structures oftwo of the other Wings of the door. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of partof the central structure of the door, showing one of said springstructures in elevation. Fig. 5- is an enlarged sectionalview of one ofthe spring structures. Fig. 6 is a detached view of one of the joints ofthe spring connection. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the retainer,whereby the wing of the door is held in the folded position. Fig. 8 is aplan view of mechanism employed in order to permit of the operation ofthe door by vibration instead of rotation or to lock the door againstsuch movements. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portionof the door, part of the ceiling structure, and the upper pivot-bearingfor the central ver tical shaft of the door. Fig. 10 is a verticalsectional view, on an enlarged scale, of part of the mechanism shown inFig. 8. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of part of the same. Fig. 12 is aplan view of one ofthe elements of said mechanism. Fig. 13 is anenlarged vertical sectional view of the lower pivot-bear- Fig. 14 is asectional plan on the line b b, Fig. 13; and Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18, and19 are diagrams illustrating the different adjustments or methods of useof the rotating structure of the door.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the opposite fixed segmental side portions of thecasing are represented at l and the central structure of the door at 2,said central structure being in the form of an upright rectangular boxor casing divided by suitable horizontal partitions into fivecompartments or chambers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, the uppermost compartment 3containing the upper pivot and the locking and vibrating mechanism ofthe door, the lowermost compartment 7 being intended for the receptionof the lower pivot, the compartments 4 and 6 having glazed sides andbeing intended for use as show-cases, and the compartment 5 containingthe spring mechanism for acting upon the projecting wings of the door.There are in the present instance four of these wings which I havenumbered, respectively, 8, 9, 10, and 11, these wings being alike ingeneral structure and each being at its inner end hinged to one cornerof the central structure 2, so that it may project radially from saidstructure or may be fold ed back against one side of the same. Normallyeach wing is held in the radially-projected position by the action ofthe spring mechanism contained in the chamber or compartment of thecentral structure, and this mechanism, which is shown in detail in Figs.4, 5, 6, and 7, I will now describe. The fixed rail or handle 12 of eachwing is connected to the latter at the outer end by the usualbracket-casting 13 and at the inner end by a bracket 14., which has aprojecting lug, to

which is pivoted, as shown in Fig. 6, the

forked outer end of a pitman 15, the latter passing through a slot 16,formed in the easing of the central structure 2 of the door, in linewiththe chamber 5 of the same. The inner end of the pitman 15 has a head 17,which is pivoted to the outer end of an arm 18, the latter forming partof a combined spring and check structure 19, which may be similar to anyof these now employed for effecting the slow closing of a door after thesame has been swung open. One of these structures is shown in section inFig. 5, on reference to which it will be seen that the arm 18 has a pawl70,which engages with a notched disk 71 on asleeve 72, the lattersurrounding the central shaft 73 and being connected to one end of thecoiled spring 74, the other end of said spring being connected to thecasing 19. Hence as the arm 18 is locked to the disk by the pawl 70 thespring tends to move the arm in one direction, this movement, however,being resisted by the movement in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, ofa piston 75 in the cylindrical lower portion of the casing 19, which isfilled with liquid. The piston 75 is connected by a link 76 to a crank77 on the shaft 73 and has a passage 78, provided with a valve 79, whichcloses when the piston moves in the direction of the arrow and openswhen the piston moves in the opposite direction. The liquid trapped inthe end of the cylinder is forced through a valve-controlled passage 80,so'that by adjusting the controlling-Valve 81 the rate of tlow of theliquid, and consequently the speed of movement of the piston, can beaccurately governed. Movement of the piston in the opposite direction isnot obstructed, as the valve 79 opens and permits free flow of liquidfrom one side of the piston to the other.

When thewing of the door is projected, the parts occupy the positionshown by fulllines in Fig. 4, the head 17 0f the pitman being in contactwith a shoulder 20 on a bracket 21, which is secured to the inner sideof the central hollow structure 2,

pitman may be locked in this position by and, if desired, the

means of a pin 22, passing through'op'enings in the wings of the bracketand engaging with the head 17 of the pitman. In the ordinary use of thedoor, however, this pin is removed. Hence the wing can,when thenecessity arises, be swung backward upon its hinges, so as to lie snuglyagainst the side of the central structure 2, the parts then assuming theposition shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4., and being retained in thisposition by means of a spring-clip 23, contained in the slot 16 andadapted to engage with the hand-rail12 of the door, as shown in Fig. 7.

The spring structure 19 is strong enough to hold the wing in theprojected position under ordinary circumstances, but permits the foldingback of the wing when any undue pressure is exerted against its forwardside, so that injury to any part of the person by being caught between awing and the casing is effectually prevented,,the wing, unless fullyfolded back and retained by the clip 23, being restored to its projectedposition as soon as the pressure upon it has been removed.

The chamber 5 of the central structure 2 is divided by radiatingpartitions 24 into four compartments, each containing the springmechanism for one wing of the door, the purpose of thus partitioning thechamber 5 being to prevent the passage of drafts of air from the outsideto the inside of the door through the slotted portions of the casing ofthe central structure 2.

While I prefer the rectangular form for the central structure 2, itshould be under- .stood that I am not limited to this form, as saidcentral structure may be of rectangular or other desired cross-sectionwithout departing from my invention.

The ceiling 25 of the fixed casing has formed in it a central openingwhich is bridged by a substantial metalic beam or cross-bar 26, carryingthe upper pivot for the central shaft 27 of the door, and this beam orgirder has depending legs 28, Fig. 9,to which is secured a check-springstructure 29, Fig. 8, of a character similar to those employed inconnection with the swinging wings of the door. The arm of this springstructure 29 has at the outer end a depending lug or projection 31,preferably in the form of an antifriction-roller, and movement of saidarm 30 in the direction of the arrow at, Fig. 8, under the influence ofthe spring is restricted by a stop-screw 32, adapted to a threadedopening in the lug 33, formed upon a plate 34, which is suitably securedto the ceiling structure 25, and has another lug projecting into asegmental recess formed in said ceiling structure, as shown in Fig. 8,and intended for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

To the central structure 2 of the door, above the topmost horizontalpartition of the same, is secured a bracket 36, to which are adapted theends -of the pivot-spindle of a rock-lever 38, which has a forked end39, adapted when the lever is in the intermedi- IIO ate position (shownby full lines in Fig. to engage with the antifriction-roller 31 of thespring-arm 30, or when'in one of the extreme positions (shown by dottedlines y) to engage with the lug 35 of the ceiling-plate 34, or when inthe opposite extreme position (shown by dotted lines y) to be free fromengagement with either the lug 35 or the antifrictionroller 31.

The rock-lever 38 carries a catch-handle 40, acted .upon by a spring 41,tending to press said catch handle downward and to cause a flange orcollar 42 upon the same to engage with either of a series of threerecesses or pockets 43, formed in a slotted plate 44, which is let intoan opening in the topmost horizontal partition 45 of the centralstructure of the door, as shown in Fig. 10. Hence by proper manipulationof this catch-handle the rock-lever 38 may be caused to assume either ofits three positions and may be retained in either of such positions.When the rock-lever is in the position shown by dotted lines y in Fig.10, the spring-arm 3O exercises no control over the central structure 2of the door and the latter is free to rotate. When the said rock-leveris in the position shown by dotted lines y in Fig. 10, the centralstructure of the door is locked to the fixed ceiling structure byengagement of the rock-lever with the lug 35. Hence any rotating orother movement of the door within the fixed casing is prevented.

When the rock-lever 38 is in engagement with the roller 31 of thespring-arm 30, rotating movement of the door is prevented; but vibratingmovement of the same under control of said spring-arm 30 is permittedwithin the limits of the segmental slot or recess formed in the ceilingstructure 25 of the casing. Thus the parts can move in the direction ofthe arrow as from the position shown by full lines in Fig. 8 to thatshown by dotted lines in said figure against the action of thespring-arm 30 and can move back again in the direction of the arrow asunder the infiuence of said spring-arm, suitable elastic plugs 46,carried by the forked upper end of the rock-lever 38, serving by contactwith the shoulders at the opposite ends of the segmental recess in theceiling 25 to prevent injurious shock or jar at either termination ofmovement.

The uppermost partition of the central structure 2 of the door has aplate 47 with hub 48 secured to the central vertical pivotshaft 27 ofthe door, and the upper end of said pivotshaft has secured to it bysetscrews 49 a journal-box 50 with oil-chamber 51 and seat for theconical lower end of the upper pivot-pin 52, which is screwed into acentral threaded opening in the cross-beam or girder 26, so as to bereadily adjustable to compensate for wear and is locked in positionafter adjustment by means of a suitable jam-nut 53. The lower pivot isshown in Fig. 13, and consists of a step 54, secured to the fioor andcontaining an oil-chamber 55 and a seat for the conical lower end of ablock 56, which supports a pair of adjusting-screws 57, adapted tothreaded openings in the hub 58 of a plate 59, secured to the lowermosthorizontal partition 60 of the central structure 2 of the door, so thatby proper adjustment of these screws 57 the said central structure ofthe door may be supported at any desired height above the floor.

Screws 61 are adapted to threaded openings in the block 56 and hub 58,the inner ends of these screws entering a groove 62 in the centralpivot-shaft 27, so as to prevent any rotating movement eitherof theblock 56 or central structure 2 independently of said pivotshaft. Aloose ring 63 rests upon the top of the step-bearing 54, so as toprevent the access of dust or dirt to the oil-chamber therein.

The wings of the door have the usual flexible bearing-strips at theedges, and the central structure of the door also has such fiexi blestrips at top and bottom, the strips used in connection with the top ofsaid structure being shown at 64 in Fig. 9.

The diagrams Figs. 15 to 19, inclusive, illustrate the variousconditions of use of myimproved door. Fig. 15 shows the usualrevolving'door with all of the wings 8, 9, 10, and 11 projected, thedoor rotating as shown by the arrows as persons pass in on one side andout on the other. Fig. 16 shows the door with the wings 8 and 10projected and the wings 9 and 11 folded, this being the plan resorted towhen a vibrating door is desired. The wings can now swing from theposition shown by full lines to that shown by dotted lines and backagain, so as to permit persons to pass in or out. Fig. 17 shows all ofthe wings of the door folded back against the central structure, so asto provide an open passage on each side on warm days or other occasionswhen a closed door is not required. Fig. 18 shows the positions assumedby the wings when a panic-stricken crowd rushes against the door.Supposing that the door is originally in normal condition, as shown inFig. 15, and persons press forwardly at the same time against the wings8 and 10, the wing 10 will yield and fold forward against the centralstructure 2, the wing 8 swinging forward and carrying the centralstructure around with it. As the door turns the persons going out on theleft-hand side will meet the wing 11 and fold it against thecentralstructure, and if persons are crowded in the inner entrance to thedoorway they will cause the wing 9 to fold back against the centralstructure 2 as the latter turns, finally leaving the wing-8 projectingforwardly from the center of the door, as shown in Fig. 18, while thecrowd rushes out on each side of the door, asindicated by the arrows, orif the wing 9 cannot fold back against the central structure 2 by reasonof a crowd on each side of it it becomes the wing whereby the door isturned and finally reaches the forwardly-projecting position, the wing 8being folded by i the pressure upon it of the persons passing out on theleft-hand side of the doorway.

By looking the central structure 2 to the ceiling, folding the two wings10 and 11, and

lockingthe projected wings 8 and 9 to the side of the doorway, and thusprevent those passing in from interfering with those pass-' ing out, Iprefer to use in connection with the side structure 1 of the door-casinglight swinging gates 65, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one of thesegates being at the-inner end of one side structure and the other at theouter end of the other side structure. Each gate is normally held in theposition shown by means of aspring and cannot be pushed into thedoorway, but will readily swing outwardly or in the direction of thearrow. Hence it will offer no obstacle to persons passing through thedoorway in the proper direction, but will prevent any one from enteringthe doorway on the wrong side. Each gate may be such as to be readilymoved out of the way or removed when its use is not desired, and it maybe so light as to be destroyed by the rush of a crowd against it, andthus offer no material obstacle to the escape of persons on both sidesof the door, as indicated in Fig. 18, in case of a panic.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. A rotating-door structure having a hollow centralportion with glazed sides whereby it may serve also as ashow-case,substantially as specified.

, 2. A rotating-door structure comprising a central pivot portion, andwings hinged thereto so as to be rigid against pressure in one directionbut free to fold back against pressure in the opposite direction, andsprings interposed between the wings and the central pivot portion ofthe door, said springs serving to project the wings and oppose ayielding resistance to backward movement of the same, substantially asspecified.

3. A revolving-door structure comprising a central pivot portion ofpolygonal cross-section and wings hinged to said central portion at theangles so as to be rigid against forward pressure but free to fold backagainst the sides of the central portion, substantially as specified.

4. A revolving-door structure comprising a central pivot portion, wingsprojecting therefrom and hinged thereto so as to be rigid againstmovement in one direction, and spring connections whereby said wings arenormally projected but are free to fold back on their hinges whenpressure is exerted thereupon, substantially as "specified.

5. A rotating-door structure comprising a central pivot portion having achamber containing a series of spring structures, wings projecting fromand pivoted to said central portion, and connections between said wingsand the spring structures, substantially as specified.

6. A rotating-door structure comprising a central pivot portion carryinga series of swinging arms, wings hinged to said central portion, pitmenconnecting said wings to the swinging arms, and springs acting upon saidswinging arms so as to project the wings of the door, substantially asspecified.

7. A rotating-door structure comprising a central pivot portion,a seriesof swinging arms carried thereby, a series of wings hinged to saidcentral portion, pitmen connecting said wings to the swinging arms,springs acting on said arms to move the same so as to project the wings,and stop-shoulders on the pitmen and pivot structure whereby the extentof such projection is limited, substantially as specified.

8. A rotating-door structure comprising a central pivot portion,swinging arms carried thereby, wings pivoted to said central portion ofthe structure, pitmen connecting the swinging arms to said wings,springs acting on said arms so as to cause projection of the wings, andlocking-pins whereby said arms may be held in the projected position,substantially as specified.

9. A rotating-doorstructure comprising a central pivot portion, wingshinged thereto so as to be folded back against said pivot portion,spring structures for projecting the wings, and elastic clips orretainers for holding the wings when they are folded back against thepivot structure, substantially as specified.

10. A rotating-door structure comprising a central hollow pivot portion,wings hinged thereto so as to be folded back against the pivotstructure, and spring mechanism for projecting said wings contained in achamber of the pivot structure, said chamber having slotted walls andinternal partitions whereby draft of air through the same is prevented,substantially as specified.

I 11. A rotating-door structure comprising a central hollow pivotportion with projecting wings, said pivot portion being divided byhollow partitions into end portions containing the upper and lower pivotstructures, and an intermediate portion with glazed walls andconstituting a show-case, substantially as specified.

12. A rotating-door structure comprising a central hollow pivot portionwith projecting wings hinged thereto so as to be folded back against thesame, said central pivot portion being divided by horizontal partitionsinto A top and bottom chambers containing respectively the upper andlower pivot structures, a central chamber containing spring mechanismfor acting upon the hinged wings, and upper and lower show-casechambers, the

latter having glazed walls, substantially as specified.

13. A rotating-door structure comprising a central pivot portion withprojecting wings, a fixed structure carrying a swinging arm, a springacting upon said arm to move it in one direction, means for locking thepivot structure of the door to said arm or releasing it therefrom,substantially as specified.

14. A rotating-door structure comprising a central pivot portion withprojecting wings, a fixed structure carrying a swinging arm, a springacting upon said arm to move it in one direction, means for locking thepivot structure of the door to said arm or releasing it therefrom, andstops for limiting the swinging movement of the-arm when he pivotstructure is locked thereto, substantially as specified.

15. A rotating door comprising a central pivot structure with projectingwings, a fixed structure upon which is mounted a swinging arm, and alocking-plate, a spring for moving said arm in one direction, a swingingbolt mounted upon the rotating structure of the door and adapted toengage either with the swinging arm or locking-plate or to be moved outof engagement with either, substantially as specified.

16. The combination in a rotating door, of a central pivot structurewith projecting wings, a fixed structure having a swinging arm, a springfor acting on said arm to move it in one direction, an adjustablestop-screw for limiting said movement, and a bolt mounted upon thecentral pivot structure and movable into and out of engagement with aportion of said swinging arm, substantially as specified.

17. A rotating door comprising a central pivot structure with projectingwings, a fixed structure having a swinging arm mounted thereon, a springfor moving said arm in one direction, a bolt mounted upon the pivotstructure of the door and movable into and out of engagement with aportion of said swinging arm, stops for limiting the movement of thedoor when it is locked to the arm, and buifers interposed between thelockingbolt and said stop-shoulders and serving to cushion the movementof the door at each limit of such movement, substantially as specified.

18. A rotating door comprising a central pivot structure with projectingwings, afixed structure havinga locking-plate and a swingingspring-actuated arm, a swinging bolt on the pivot structure movabe so asto engage either with the locking-plate or swinging arm or so as to beout of engagement with either, and means for retaining said bolt ineither of its positions of adjustment, substantially as specified.

19. A rotating door comprising a central pivot structure with projectingwings, ashaft extending vertically through said central pivot structure,a block carried by the lower portion of said shaft and adapted to astepbearing, and adjusting-screws interposed between said block and thepivot structure of the door and serving to adjust the latter verticallyin respect to the bearing substantially as specified.

20. A rotating door comprising a central pivot structure with projectingwings, ashaft extending vertically through said pivot structure andhaving a vertical groove at its lower end, a block carried by the lowerend of said shaft and adapted to a step-bearing, said screws beinginterposed between said block and a plate on the pivot structure, and ascrew carried by said plate and engaging with the vertical groove in theshaft, substantially as specified.

21. A rotating door comprising a central pivot structure with projectingwings, side casings partly inclosing said rotating door, and swinginggates hung to one of said casings at the outer end and to the other ofsaid casings at the inner end, and serving to direct persons to theright side of the door without interfering with the passage of personsthrough the doorway, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEOPHILUS VAN KANNEL.

Witnesses:

J. W. FARRELL, WALTER S. ELY.

